The goal of Iowa ARES® Winlink Weekend is learning and practicing the use of the Winlink system to prepare for its use with the agencies we intend to serve, as well as supporting ARES® itself. Everyone is invited to participate!

We will be practicing the various message forms we can expect to be asked to use.

Messages are to be sent any time on Saturday or Sunday, Central Time.

Specifics for Check-in weeks:
Use the basic Winlink Check In template which is in Standard Templates, in both GENERAL and MAPPING-GIS forms.
Enter WINLINK WEEKEND, using the Setup button.
In Comments: call sign, first name, city or town, county, state, mode (Winlink HF, VARA FM, VHF packet, etc.)
Example: WB0GAG, Bruce, Muscatine, Muscatine, IA, VARA HF
Fill in the remaining entries as you wish, but make your location data accurate "enough".
You can save your data for reuse with the Save Check In Data button.
If you don't want to include your own phone number, use (any area code)-555-0121, which is not in use anywhere in North America.
Click the Submit button and follow the prompts.
Send any time Saturday or Sunday, preferably by radio (RMS), although you can use Telnet if you are just starting or can't get a radio connection.
Eastern Iowa and Illinois are on 145.610 MHz, packet Winlink. We are working to extend deeper into Iowa.
Send to WB0GAG. Check the exercise scenario for any additional addresses.
Peer to Peer (P2P) volunteers are welcome and don't need to be available for the whole time. Notify WBØGAG of the hours, band and mode you want so it can be added to the web site.

October 31 - November 1, 2026

EXERCISE, EXERCISE

A runner from the unexpected snow fall emergency shelter hands you this information to be sent to the American Red Cross district warehouse. Start a new message and select Standard Templates > ARC Forms > ARC 6409 Requisition Form.
Note: all the spelling errors are on the form, I just copied so as to not mislead you. :-)

• Exercise information
  DR# (if applicatable): 32345
  • DR Name: IWW
  • Date: click and accept
  • Requisition # : 3
• Requestor Information
• Requestor Name: JonTentpeg
• Signature: JonTentpeg
• Email: jon.tentpeg@email.com
• Title: Shelter supervisor
• Phone: (555) 555-555
• Delivery Information
• Site POC Name :Brayden Ford
• Phone: (098) 765-4321
• Email: jon.tentpeg@email.com
• Address: 123 Elm Street
• City: Central City
• State: TX
• Zip: 12435
• Description of product(s) and/or service(s)

Stock No.		Quanity		Unit of measure (EA/PK/CS/BX)		Total QTY (each)		Description		Date needed
654321		50		EA		50		Supper Meals		Nov. 2, 2026
123456		100		EA		100		Breakfast		Nov. 2, 2026
25		39		EA		39		Tent peg		Nov. 2, 2026

Special Instructions :

• EXERCISE, EXERCISE
  call sign, first name, city or town, county, state, mode (Winlink HF, VARA FM, VHF packet, etc.), your GPS longitude, your GPS latitude

2 letter state abbreviation and no parentheses, please!
Example: WB0GAG, Bruce, Muscatine, Muscatine, IA, VARA HF, 41.427500N, 91.058500W

Save a copy for later if you wish.
Review your message, then click Submit and set "Subject:" to "Iowa Winlink Weekend".

In the message composition window, make sure "Send As:" is set to Winlink Message.
Check "Request message receipt" if you wish a confirmation message.
Set "To:" to WB0GAG. Add any others you would like to receive the message.

When you are satisfied with the message, click "Post to Outbox".

Send as normal. If you have no radio capability yet, use telnet.

Specific suggestions are welcome, especially incident scenarios and which forms to use. Planned scenarios include:

• Railroad derailment - Hazardous Material Spills
• Flash floods
• Plane crashes
• Hill slides
• Tornados
• Earthquakes
• Search and Rescue operations
• Marathon and parade communications